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Texts -- Colossians 4:11-18 (NET)

Context
4:11 And Jesus who is called Justus also sends greetings. In terms of Jewish converts , these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God , and they have been a comfort to me . 4:12 Epaphras , who is one of you and a slave of Christ , greets you . He is always struggling in prayer on your behalf , so that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God . 4:13 For I can testify that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis . 4:14 Our dear friend Luke the physician and Demas greet you . 4:15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters who are in Laodicea and to Nympha and the church that meets in her house . 4:16 And after you have read this letter , have it read to the church of Laodicea . In turn, read the letter from Laodicea as well. 4:17 And tell Archippus , “See to it that you complete the ministry you received in the Lord .” 4:18 I, Paul , write this greeting by my own hand . Remember my chains . Grace be with you .

Pericope

NET
  • Col 4:7-18 -- Personal Greetings and Instructions

Bible Dictionary

  • Hierapolis

    [ebd] sacred city, a city of Phrygia, where was a Christian church under the care of Epaphras (Col. 4:12, 13). This church was founded at the same time as that of Colosse. It now bears the name of Pambuk-Kalek, i.e., "Cotton Castl...
    [isbe] HIERAPOLIS - he-er-ap'-o-lis (Hierapolis, "sacred city"): As the name implies, Hierapolis was a holy city. It was situated 6 miles from Laodicea and twice that distance from Colosse, on the road from Sardis to Apamea. Though...
    [smith] (holy city), a city of Phrygia, situated above the junction of the rivers Lycus and Maeander, near Colossae and Laodicea mentioned only in (Colossians 4:13) as the seat of a church probably founded by Epaphras.
    [nave] HIERAPOLIS A city of Phrygia. Christians in, Col. 4:13.

  • Epaphras

    [ebd] lovely, spoken of by Paul (Col. 1:7; 4:12) as "his dear fellow-servant," and "a faithful minister of Christ." He was thus evidently with him at Rome when he wrote to the Colossians. He was a distinguished disciple, and proba...
    [isbe] EPAPHRAS - ep'-a-fras (Epaphras): A contracted form of Epaphroditus. He must not, however, be confounded with the messenger of the Philippian community. He was with Paul during a part of his 1st Roman imprisonment, joining i...
    [smith] (lovely), a fellow laborer with the apostle Paul, mentioned (Colossians 1:7) as having taught the Colossian church the grace of God in truth, and designated a faithful minister of Christ on their behalf. He was at that time w...
    [nave] EPAPHRAS, a co-laborer with Paul, Col. 1:7; 4:12; Philem. 23.

  • Laodicea

    [ebd] The city of this name mentioned in Scripture lay on the confines of Phrygia and Lydia, about 40 miles east of Ephesus (Rev. 3:14), on the banks of the Lycus. It was originally called Diospolis and then Rhoas, but afterwards ...
    [smith] (justice of the people), a town in the Roman province of Asia situated in the valley of the Maeander, on a small river called the Lycus, with Colossae and Hierapolis a few miles distant to the west. Built, or rather rebuilt, ...
    [nave] LAODICEA A Phrygian city. Paul's concern for, Col. 2:1. Epaphras's zeal for, Col. 4:13. Epistle to the Colossians to be read in, Col. 4:15, 16. Message to, through John, Rev. 1:11; 3:14-22.

  • Demas

    [ebd] a companion and fellow-labourer of Paul during his first imprisonment at Rome (Philemon 1:24; Col. 4:14). It appears, however, that the love of the world afterwards mastered him, and he deserted the apostle (2 Tim. 4:10).
    [isbe] DEMAS - de'-mas (Demas, "popular"): According to Col 4:14; 2 Tim 4:10; Philem 1:24, one who was for a time a "fellow-worker" with Paul at Rome (Col, Philem), but at last, "having loved this present world," forsook the apostl...
    [smith] (governor of the people), most probably a contraction from Demetrius or perhaps from Demarchus, a companion of St. Paul, (Philemon 1:24; Colossians 4:14) during his first imprisonment at Rome. (A.D. 57.) At a later period, (2...
    [nave] DEMAS A companion of Paul, Col. 4:14; Philem. 24. Deserts Paul, 2 Tim. 4:10.

  • Luke

    [ebd] the evangelist, was a Gentile. The date and circumstances of his conversion are unknown. According to his own statement (Luke 1:2), he was not an "eye-witness and minister of the word from the beginning." It is probable that...
    [smith] (light-giving), or Lu?cas, is an abbreviated form of Lucanus. It is not to be confounded with Lucius, (Acts 13:1; Romans 16:21) which belongs to a different person. The name Luke occurs three times in the New Testament-- (Col...
    [nave] LUKE A disciple. A physician, Col. 4:14. Wrote to Theophilus, Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:1, 2. Accompanies Paul in his tour of Asia and Macedonia, Acts 16:10-13; 20:5, 6; to Jerusalem, Acts 21:1-18; to Rome, Acts 27; 28; 2 Tim. 4:...

  • Justus

    [ebd] (1.) Another name for Joseph, surnamed Barsabas. He and Matthias are mentioned only in Acts 1:23. "They must have been among the earliest disciples of Jesus, and must have been faithful to the end; they must have been well k...
    [isbe] JUSTUS - jus'-tus (Ioustos): There are three of this name mentioned in the New Testament. (1) It was the Roman surname of JOSEPH BARSABBAS (which see) (Acts 1:23). (2) A Corinthian proselyte (sebomenos ton Theon), whose hous...
    [smith] (just). A surname of Joseph, called Barsabas. (Acts 1:23) (A.D. 30.) A Christian at Corinth, with whom St. Paul lodged. (Acts 18:7) (A.D. 49.) (Given in the Revised Version as TITUS JUSTUS JUSTUS; and it is possible that he ...
    [nave] JUSTUS 1. A disciple nominated with Matthias to succeed Judas Iscariot, Acts 1:23. 2. A believer in Corinth, Acts 18:7. 3. Called also Jesus. A disciple in Rome, Col. 4:11.

  • Archippus

    [ebd] master of the horse, a "fellow-soldier" of Paul's (Philemon 1:2), whom he exhorts to renewed activity (Col. 4:17). He was a member of Philemon's family, probably his son.
    [isbe] ARCHIPPUS - ar-kip'-us (Archippos): Addressed by Paul in his letter to Philem, as "our fellow-soldier"; probably a member of Philem's family circle, holding some official position in the church (Col 4:17; Philem 1:2). See AP...
    [smith] (master of the horse), a Christian teacher in Colossae, (Colossians 4:17) called by St. Paul his "fellow soldier," Phil 2. He was probably a member of Philemon?s family. (A.D. 62.)
    [nave] ARCHIPPUS, a disciple at Colosse, Col. 4:17; Philem. 2.

  • Nymphas

    [ebd] nymph, saluted by Paul in his Epistle to the Colossians as a member of the church of Laodicea (Col. 4:15).
    [isbe] NYMPHAS - nim'-fas (Numphas; Lachmann, Tregelles (margin), Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in Greek read Numpha, the name of a woman (Col 4:15)): 1. A Christian in Laodicea: A Christian resident in Laodicea, to whom Pau...
    [nave] NYMPHAS A christian of Laodicea. House of, used as a place of worship, Col. 4:15.

  • Minister

    [nave] MINISTER, a sacred teacher. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-topics; Call of; Character and Qualifications of; Charge Delivered to; Courage of; Duties of; Duties of the Church to; Emoluments of; Faithful, Instanc...

  • COLOSSE

    [smith] more properly Colos?sae, was a city of Phrygia in Asia Minor, in the upper part of the basin of the Maeander, on the Lycus. Hierapolis and Laodicea were in its immediate neighborhood. (Colossians 1:2; 4:13,15,16) see Reve 1:1...

  • LAODICEANS, EPISTLE TO THE

    [isbe] LAODICEANS, EPISTLE TO THE - la-od-i-se'-anz, (en te Laodikeon ekklesia .... ten ek Laodikias, "in the church of the Laodiceans .... the epistle from Laodicea," Col 4:16): I. EXPLANATIONS OF PAUL'S STATEMENT 1. Written by th...

  • COLOSSAE

    [ebd] or Colosse, a city of Phrygia, on the Lycus, which is a tributary of the Maeander. It was about 12 miles above Laodicea, and near the great road from Ephesus to the Euphrates, and was consequently of some mercantile importan...
    [isbe] COLOSSAE - ko-los'-e (Kolossai, "punishment"; the King James Version Colosse): A city of Phrygia on the Lycus River, one of the branches of the Meander, and 3 miles from Mt. Cadmus, 8,013 ft. high. It stood at the head of a ...

  • CHURCH

    [ebd] Derived probably from the Greek kuriakon (i.e., "the Lord's house"), which was used by ancient authors for the place of worship. In the New Testament it is the translation of the Greek word ecclesia, which is synonymous with...
    [isbe] CHURCH - church: I. PRE-CHRISTIAN HISTORY OF THE TERM II. ITS ADOPTION BY JESUS III. ITS USE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT 1. In the Gospels 2. In Acts 3. In the Pauline Epistles IV. THE NOTES OF THE CHURCH 1. Faith 2. Fellowship 3. ...

  • JESUS JUSTUS

    [isbe] JESUS JUSTUS - je'-zus jus'-tus Iesous ho legomenos Ioustos, "Jesus that is called Justus," Col 4:11): 1. A Jew by Birth: One of three friends of Paul--the others being Aristarchus and Mark--whom he associates with himself i...

  • Mark

    [smith] one of the evangelists, and probable author of the Gospel bearing his name. (Marcus was his Latin surname. His Jewish name was John, which is the same as Johanan (the grace of God). We can almost trace the steps whereby the f...
    [nave] MARK A nephew of Barnabas, Col. 4:10. A disciple of Jesus, Acts 12:12, 25; 13:5, 13. Paul and Barnabas contend concerning, Acts 15:36-39. A convert of Peter, 1 Pet. 5:13. Fellow-worker with Paul at Rome, Col. 4:10, 11; 2...

  • PHILEMON

    [isbe] PHILEMON - fi-le'-mon, fi-le'-mun (Philemon): Among the converts of Paul, perhaps while at Ephesus, was one whom he calls a "fellow-worker," Philemon (Philem 1:1). He was probably a man of some means, was celebrated for his ...
    [smith] the name of the Christian to whom Paul addressed his epistle in behalf of Onesimus. He was a native probably of Colosse, or at all events lived in that city when the apostle wrote to him: first, because Onesimus was a Colossi...

  • PAUL, THE APOSTLE, 1

    [isbe] PAUL, THE APOSTLE, 1 - pol, I. Sources 1. The Acts 2. The Thirteen Epistles (1) Pauline Authorship (2) Lightfoot's Grouping (a) First Group (1 and 2 Thessalonians) (b) Second Group (1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Romans, (c...

  • JESUS

    [ebd] (1.) Joshua, the son of Nun (Acts 7:45; Heb. 4:8; R.V., "Joshua"). (2.) A Jewish Christian surnamed Justus (Col. 4:11). Je'sus, the proper, as Christ is the official, name of our Lord. To distinguish him from others so calle...
    [smith] called Jestus, a Christian who was with St. Paul at Rome. (Colossians 4:11) (A.D. 57.)

  • Physician

    [isbe] PHYSICIAN - fi-zish'-an (rophi; iatros): To the pious Jew at all times God was the healer (Dt 32:39): "It was neither herb nor mollifying plaister that cured them, but thy word, O Lord, which healeth all things" (The Wisdom ...
    [nave] PHYSICIAN, 2 Chr. 16:12; Matt. 9:12; Mark 5:26; Luke 8:43. Proverbs about, Mark 2:17; Luke 4:23. Luke a physician, Col. 4:14. Figurative Job 13:4; Jer. 8:22; Luke 5:31.

  • LAPIDOTH

    [smith] (torches), the inhabitants of Laodicea. (Colossians 4:16; Revelation 3:14)
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • Several factors indicate that the writer of this Gospel was the same person who wrote the Book of Acts. First, a man named Theophilus was the recipient of both books (Luke 1:3; Acts 1:1). Second, Acts refers to a previous wor...
  • 19:8 Paul followed his standard procedure of preaching to the Jews in the synagogue at Ephesus as long as possible. Here the Jews were more tolerant than they had been in some other towns that Paul had evangelized, and he was...
  • Paul was a Roman citizen who had appealed to Caesar and had gained the respect (to say the least) of his centurion escort. Therefore he was able to reside in a private rented residence with a Roman guard (v. 30).This is the e...
  • "The letter now concludes with a series of standard (for Paul) greetings (vv. 19-22) and the grace-benediction (v. 23). But Paul cannot quite give up the urgency of the letter, so he interrupts these two rather constant eleme...
  • In this section Paul summarized some of his more important points. He also appealed to his readers again to urge them to follow through and to put into practice what he had taught them."Before concluding his letter Paul retur...
  • In most of his epistles Paul began by setting forth foundational truth and then concluded by applying that truth to the lives of his readers. This pattern is very obvious in Ephesians where the first three chapters deal with ...
  • The city of Colosse lay in the beautiful Lycus Valley about 100 miles east of Ephesus. It had been an important town during the Persian War of the fifth century B.C. Since then new trade routes had carried most traffic to its...
  • I. Introduction 1:1-14A. Salutation 1:1-2B. Thanksgiving 1:3-8C. Prayer 1:9-14II. Explanation of the person and work of Christ 1:15-29A. The preeminent person of Christ 1:15-201. In relation to God the Father 1:15a2. In relat...
  • Paul began his letter with this salutation to introduce himself to his readers and to wish God's blessing on them.1:1 Paul cited his apostolic calling and office to lend authority to what follows. "Paul"was the name the apost...
  • Paul gave thanks to God for his readers frequently. He told them so to enable them to appreciate the fact that he knew of their situation and rejoiced in their good testimony.1:3-4 Whenever Paul and Timothy prayed for the Col...
  • Paul told his readers that he prayed for their full perception and deepest understanding of God's will for them and for all believers. He did this so they would be able to glorify God in their conduct. He told them this to re...
  • Paul next set forth certain principles to guide his readers in their most important interpersonal relationships. He did this to enable them to understand what behavior is consistent with union with Christ in these relationshi...
  • 4:7-8 Paul sent Tychicus with this letter for two primary purposes. He wanted to provide more information about himself and his present ministry than he felt led to record in this letter. He also wanted to encourage the Colos...
  • Paul mentioned six individuals five of whom he also named in Philemon.4:10 Aristarchus came from Thessalonica (Acts 20:4), had been with Paul in Ephesus (Acts 19:29), and accompanied him to Rome (Acts 27:2). "Prisoner"(v. 10)...
  • 4:15 In addition to the neighboring Laodicean Christians, Paul sent greetings to Nympha, possibly the hostess of a Laodicean house-church. There is no evidence that Christians met in church buildings until the third century.1...
  • Paul concluded this epistle with an emphasis on unity in the church to motivate his readers to work out their problems and reestablish peaceful conditions that would glorify God.3:16 He concluded with two more prayers, his fo...
  • A. Paul affirms the personal equality of man and woman in the new creation by stating that in Christ there is "neither male nor female"(Gal. 3:28).A woman obtains salvation by faith exactly as a man does (Eph. 2:8-9; 1 Pet. 1...
  • 4:9-10 Paul urged Timothy to join him in Rome soon. He did not expect to live much longer (cf. v. 6)."The constitutional method of inflicting capital punishment on a Roman citizen was by the lictor's axe. The criminal was tie...
  • Paul began this letter by introducing himself and Timothy, by naming the recipients, and by wishing them God's grace and peace. He did so to clarify these essential matters and to set the tone for his following remarks.v. 1 P...
  • v. 22 Paul expected release from his house arrest in Rome soon (cf. Acts 23:29; 24:13; 25:25-27; 26:31-32; Phil. 2:24). This happened, but we have no record that Paul did or did not fulfill his desire to visit Philemon. The p...
  • Jesus Christ sent this letter to shake the Laodicean Christians out of their self-sufficient complacency and to exhort them to self-sacrifice for higher spiritual goals (cf. Col. 2:1-2, 4:16)....

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

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